CHINESE COOKING: Freshly steamed plain buns are still the staples--in place of rice--in Northern China, but people from the south also enjoy them in restaurants serving Shanghai and Northern cuisines.

STEAMED OR DEEP-FRIED BUNS 饅頭:

 

 

 

 

2 cups all purpose flour****                                      

1 tbsp. sugar

1 tbsp. lard or vegetable shortening, melted                                                     

½ tsp. active dry yeast

½ tsp. baking powder                                                  

½ cup warm water +  ½ tsp. sugar                                                                   

                                                       

condensed milk to serve with fried buns

 

 

****ingredients may be doubled for 20 buns****

 

 

 

 

Proof yeast in warm water, with ½ tsp. sugar added, for 15 minutes. Stir down and let stand 5 minutes more.

 

Sift flour, baking powder and sugar into a large wide bowl. Make a well in the centre of flour and add in yeast water and lard. Mix and incorporate liquid into flour, working it into soft dough. Knead dough on dry work surface for 5 minutes.

 

Transfer dough to an oiled bowl, turning dough over to coat with oil. Cover bowl with tea towel and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour.

 

Take dough out, punch it down and knead it a few times to knock air out of it. Roll dough into a long rope and cut rope into 10 equal pieces. Work each piece of dough into a bun.

 

Transfer buns to 2 large bamboo steamers. Cover steamers with tea towel and let buns rest for 15 minutes, or until buns are softened and slightly risen. Fit steamers over a large pot of boiling water. Cover and steam over high heat for 15 minutes.

 

Serve buns while hot, or cool them completely and deep-fry them in hot oil until crispy and golden brown. In case of fried buns, serve with condensed milk.